Arsenal: Arteta hints Trossard will start over Jesus vs Liverpool after ‘really nice’ Anfield hat-trick
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said Leandro Trossard’s ‘positive experience’ playing at Anfield this season is “what we need” against Liverpool on Sunday.
Trossard scored a hat-trick against Liverpool last October as Brighton drew 3-3 against Jurgen Klopp’s men.
The Belgian made the move to the Gunners in the winter transfer window and has made an immediate impact, scoring once and notching seven assists in 13 matches for his new club.
Arsenal go to Anfield on Sunday having won seven Premier League matches in a row, but know they will need to be at their best to make it eight in a row.
Liverpool have been extremely disappointing this season, but Anfield will always be a tough test for any team, and Arsenal have not won there since 2012.
“We’ve been in a few grounds that we haven’t won in many years and we’ve managed to do that,” Arteta said about taking his side to Anfield. “We’re capable of doing it.
“We’ll need to be better, certainly than in the second half of last year.”
On if his side fear the trip to face the Merseyside outfit, Arteta replied: “First of all it’s a different group coming from a different position. What we need to have is courage.
“On Sunday we’ll try to be that team.”
Arteta remained coy when asked about the availability of William Saliba.
The French centre-back has been sidelined with a back issue since the Gunners’ Europa League last-16 defeat to Sporting on March 16.
Nketiah, meanwhile, has not featured since the 4-0 win over Everton over four weeks ago.
Arteta revealed that “one” player could be able to train on Saturday, but did not reveal who.
“No real changes with the rest of the players that were still injured,” he said.
“We have some hope with one of them who will maybe be able to train but we’ll see.”
READ MORE: Big Weekend: Liverpool v Arsenal, Lampard back at Chelsea, Cooper, Toney against Newcastle
Arteta also confirmed that Bukayo Saka is fit after he started on the bench against Leeds United last weekend.
Saka and Gabriel Martinelli should start against Liverpool, but the Spaniard has a very difficult decision to make between Trossard and summer signing Gabriel Jesus.
The latter has been excellent this term but has only recently returned from a long-term knee injury, and in that time the Belgian forward has impressed.
Asked about Trossard’s hat-trick at Anfield earlier this season, Arteta hinted that he could lead the line this weekend.
“It’s great to have a player that has experienced something really nice and positive in that stadium. That’s what we need, players with a lot of belief on that pitch,” he said.
Arteta was asked about the altercation he had with Klopp during last season’s match at Anfield, saying it could have had a negative impact on his team on the day.
“That’s football,” he said. “That happens in football, after that we hugged each other and moved on.
“I have full respect for what they’ve done.
“I don’t know (if I would handle it differently). I have to be in that situation again. I don’t like seeming like this so hopefully not.”
On if it impacted the game: “Yeah but after that we had the best chance in the game and could have gone 1-0 up. Who knows.”
Arteta admitted he is not overly surprised by Liverpool’s woes this season, instead saying it emphasises how hard it is to remain on the top.
He said: “More admiration because it shows the difficulty of being at the top and transforming a football club. It shows how hard it is to maintain that.
“We’ve all had difficult moments, but what they’ve done at the club is remarkable.
“They are a great team managed by a top manager, they create an incredible atmosphere that makes it really difficult for any opponent.”
Arteta was obviously asked about playing You’ll Never Walk Alone in training to prepare his players for last season’s match at Anfield.
“For us it’s something normal,” he explained. “We prepare every game in a different way. We prepare the team mentally and that day we decided to do that.”
READ MORE: Transfer gossip: Man Utd target ex-Arsenal stopper as part of PSG, Juve keeper triangle
